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Approve 13 Probation Department expenditure contracts and contract amendments totaling $4,591,461 effective July 1, 2017; Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute the contracts and amendments and any future amendments that remain within budgeted appropriations up to 20% of the total contract amount not to exceed $50,000; Authorize the Chief of Probation to execute any amendments which are technical or administrative in nature; and Delegate authority to the County Administrator to authorize grant submissions in excess of $50,000 in order to secure funding to maintain and/or restore service levels for existing programs and projects.
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Published Notice Required? Yes _____ No __X___
Public Hearing Required? Yes _____ No __X___
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Chief of Probation recommends the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve 13 Probation Department contracts and contract amendments totaling $4,591,461 effective July 1, 2017 (Attachment A);
2. Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute the contracts and amendments and any future amendments that remain within budgeted appropriations up to 20% of the total contract amount not to exceed $50,000;
3. Authorize the Chief of Probation to execute any future contract amendments that are administrative or technical in nature; and
4. Delegate authority to the County Administrator to authorize grant submissions in excess of $50,000 in order to secure funding to maintain and/or restore service levels for existing programs and projects.
SUMMARY:
The Probation Department’s contracts and amendments, which are delineated in Attachment A and in the discussion section herein, represent routine departmental services that exceed $50,000 in compensation requiring Board approval to continue in accordance with the County Purchasing and Contracting Policy Manual. The total combined contract amount is $4,656,461.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The contracts and amendments totaling $4,591,461 are funded with a combination of $2,538,579 in State/Federal funds and $2,052,882 in County General Funds. The FY2017/18 Recommended Budget for the Probation Department includes sufficient appropriations to cover the anticipated contract costs. The County’s Standard Contract allows for the County to terminate or amend a contract in the event that funding becomes unavailable to the County during the term of the contract.
DISCUSSION:
Due to the nature of these services, a brief description of each contract or amendment is provided below.
Healthright 360 (HR 360) - Juvenile and Adult Services
The Probation Department has continued to partner with Healthright 360 to address substance abuse issues with adult and juvenile clients. Evidence based practices are used by certified therapist/clinicians to assess clients’ needs, determine the appropriate level of treatment, and develop a Case Plan. Their curriculum includes crisis intervention, addiction education, relapse prevention, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Teen Matrix, and individual counseling. This collaboration has continued to be very beneficial to address our client’s needs while increasing the partnership between the supervision officer and treatment provider.
California Forensic Medical Group
As the result of a Request for Proposal (RFP) awarded by the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Department entered into a contractual agreement with California Forensic Medical Group (CFMG) on July 1, 2014 in order to provide on-site medical services to youths placed at the Juvenile Detention Facility and the Challenge Academy. CFMG is responsible to provide youths with primary care, address acute symptoms and/or conditions, and to avoid preventable deterioration of health while in confinement under the applicable provisions of the California Code of Regulations, Title 15, Article 8 Health Services and adheres to all policies and regulations. The current contract will expire on June 30, 2017. The recommended twelve-month extension provides for continued mandated services that are vital to the Department’s operations. There are no significant changes to the Contract.
The Will of God
With the partnership of Pastor Everett D. Robinson and The Will of God, the Department will provide mentorship coaching to adult and juvenile clients. Their curriculum is designed to provide counseling, encouragement, emotional, and spiritual support to clients who are receiving services at the Center for Positive Change as well as youth under supervision of the Probation Department. In addition, the contractor will act as a liaison between parents and Probation Officers in order to prepare the parents for reunification and ensure that the youths and parents are connected with other services and resources that are available in the community. The contract for mentorship and counseling services will be an integrated comprehensive approach to strengthening the relationship between the youths and their families who are at risk for continued involvement with the juvenile justice system and adults who are transitioning to community life.
Journal Technologies Inc.
Due to the proprietary nature of the CASE Management System, the Department must seek maintenance services provided exclusively by Journal Technologies Inc. (former ISD Corporation) and therefore the services are exempt from the competitive bid process. The CASE Management System is used by Probation to monitor and track services that are provided to adults and juveniles. A maintenance agreement is necessary to allow for continued consulting, technical and programming services related to software application fixes and modifications to ensure system reliance. Although the software would continue to function without a new maintenance agreement, software applications often require patches to resolve programming issues which may slow down or corrupt the system. In addition, without a new maintenance agreement, the Department may be unable to integrate any new features (e.g., file scanning) or add a detention facility module to the CASE Management System.
Aramark Correctional Services
The Department is tasked with providing meals for youths detained at the Juvenile Detention Facility (JDF). As the result of a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by the Department in November 2012, Aramark Correctional Services was awarded a contract to provide food service management and oversight to the JDF for the period of July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2017. Aramark prepares meals using the cook chill process, and then ships the prepared food trays by refrigerated vehicles to the Juvenile Detention Facility several times per week, where the prepared food trays are stored on-site in County refrigerated store rooms. Aramark provides on-site manager to coordinate and manage all aspects of food service operations and also provides on-site food service workers. Aramark employees heat the prepared food trays according to service date and distribute to the youth. Aramark utilizes county-owned equipment necessary to store, heat, and transport the prepared food. This mandated service is necessary to provide nutritious, basic meals to youth entrusted to County care. The current contract will expire on June 30, 2017.
The Department recently issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) and it is in the process of contract negotiations for the new contract. Aramark Correctional Services was selected as the best-evaluated proposer and the recommended three-month extension to the current contract will provide for continued services while the new contract is being developed.
Aldea Children and Families
In February 2014, the Probation Department issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for in-home and/or in-custody treatment and counseling services. The RFP process yielded three proposals that were reviewed and evaluated by a panel composed of representatives from Probation and Health & Social Services (H&SS). As the result of the RFP, Aldea Children and Families were awarded a contract to provide identified youth and families with in-home and/or in-custody treatment and counseling services. The contract for treatment and counseling services is an integrated comprehensive approach to strengthening and preserving youth and families who are at risk for continued involvement with the juvenile justice system. In addition, this service is provided to increase community safety by strengthening the family unit and reducing the risk of out of home placement. The current contract will expire on June 30, 2017 and the recommended twelve-month extension provides for continued services that are vital to the Department’s operations. There are no significant changes to the contract.
Leaders in Community Alternatives, Inc.
The Crime Prevention Act of 2000, currently referred to as the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA) of 2000, created a stable funding source for local juvenile justice programs aimed at preventing crime and delinquency among at-risk youth. The Probation Department has been awarded JJCPA funding to support programs for at-risk youth focusing on crime prevention, intervention, suppression, and rehabilitation. The Probation Department has partnered with Leaders in Community Alternatives (LCA) to operate Juvenile Day Reporting Centers (DRC) in the cities of Vallejo and Fairfield. LCA will provide structured individual and group activities including cognitive behavioral treatment, life skills, and educational support for court-ordered youth and/or youth referred by the Probation Officer. The current contract will expire on June 30, 2017 and the recommended twelve-month extension provides for continued services that are vital to the Department’s operations. There are no significant changes to the contract.
Leaders in Community Alternatives, Inc.
As recommended by the Community Corrections Partnership (CCP), the Board of Supervisors approved funding in the FY2016/17 Adopted Budget to provide In-Custody and Community Based Employment/Vocational Training Services to approximately 240 individuals in the Solano County jail and 300 individuals under the jurisdiction of the Probation Department. In order to better facilitate the delivery of employment and vocational services, a RFP was solicited on July 8, 2014. Upon the conclusion of the RFP process, Leaders in Community Alternatives (LCA) was determined to be the best-evaluated proposer and was awarded a contract from November 1, 2014 through June 30, 2016.
LCA’s long-established history of model programs implementation for medium to high risk criminal justice populations uniquely qualifies them to fully implement the In-Custody and Community Based Employment/Vocational Training services. LCA has a 23 year history of providing services to criminal justice agencies, designing, developing and delivering culturally competent case management and treatment services for the juveniles and adults. LCA partnered with Michael’s Transportation for vocational training focusing on obtaining the needed licensing to work in the transportation industry. Michael’s Transportation has been providing quality training since 1996 and has extensive experience working with clients who lack “employable skills” and have other barriers to employment. The current contract will expire on June 30, 2017 and the recommended twelve-month extension provides for continued services that are vital to the Department’s operations. There are no significant changes to the contract.
Solano County Office of Education (SCOE)
This contract is a partnership between the Probation Department and the Solano County Office of Education (SCOE related to the transitional educational services and vocational services provided to youth detained at the JDF or otherwise under the jurisdiction of the Solano County Probation Department. The Transitional Educational Program is designed to assist youth and parents with services that will expedite re-enrollment in their local school district following detention at JDF. Services will follow the minor while under community supervision through the Probation Department.
The vocational training and/or job readiness component is provided to youth placed in the Challenge Academy. Services include resume writing, interviewing, job search techniques and a certification in food service/food preparation. The goal of these services is to assist youth in building their pro-social behaviors, and building their skills and attitudes that can ultimately improve their ability to function productively in the workplace and community. The current contract expires on June 30, 2017 and the recommended twelve-month extension provides for continued services. There are no significant changes to the Contract.
Alternative Restorative Communities, LLC.
Alternative Restorative Communities provides and administers the Restorative Justice Program. In collaboration with the Solano County Probation Department, the contractor will provide a weekly Offender Education Group to detained youth at the JDF. The contractor will offer a structured curriculum designed to facilitate understanding of the circumstances that brought them into detention, and the effects that their behavior had on their victims, families, community and themselves. Victim Offender Education Groups are based on the principles of restorative justice and trauma healing. One of the highlights of the program is a visit from survivor(s) of crime who tell their story to the youth. This increases empathy and introspection. In addition, Alternative Restorative Communities will facilitate the Juvenile Community Accountability Program (JCAP) which is a diversion program designed to provide targeted interventions for youth who are issued citations for delinquent activity. JCAP is a response to crime that allows for active participation by the victim, the community, and the youth in the justice process. It is a value’s based framework that recognizes justice is best achieved by building, or rebuilding relationships between crime victims, the community and juvenile offenders.
Justice Benefits, Inc.
Justice Benefits, Inc. (JBI) specializes in federal revenue maximization for state and local political entities. By partnering with JIB, the Department’s federal revenue maximization will be accomplished through documenting the Probation Officer’s activities utilizing JBI’s web based system and be able to identify and record claimable activities. In addition, JBI will provide staff training and assist the County to prepare for federal and state audits. JBI contracted services will be reimbursed by a performance fee of 15% of Title IV-E revenues. JBI fees are only paid after the claims have been reimbursed to the county by the federal government; therefore, the Department will not incur in any costs if revenues are not collected. The current contract expires on June 30, 2017 and the recommended twelve-month extension provides for continued services. There are no significant changes to the Contract.
David W. Roush, Ph.D
Dr. David W. Roush, PhD is a consultant and senior counselor with Juvenile Justice Association. Dr. Roush has been active in research, technical assistance, training and consulting with juvenile detention and corrections organizations for over 40 years. His experience includes work in over 225 institutions in 49 states. As a facility superintendent, he developed model programs that earned four national awards for innovation and excellence. A specialist on conditions of confinement, he conducts compliance monitoring for the US Department of Justice.
The Department contracted with Dr. Roush to conduct an on-site assessment of the Solano County Juvenile Detention Facility. The assessment consisted of conducting interviews with staff, observation of staff and youth interactions, and observation of the alignment of best practices in juvenile detention facilities with the actions of staff and administrators at the JDF. The Department now seeks an extension of this contract to extend term for twelve (12) months and increase the contract amount. This amendment is to allow the contractor to conduct additional on-site visits to discuss and assess the implementation of the Solano County JDF action plan for continued program development and improvement. This is also to review and edit new and existing JDF policies and procedures.
Journal Technologies Inc.
Probation Department conducted a Request for Information (G099-0921-16) in February 2016. In this Request for Information (RFI), the Department requested organizations, agencies or individuals to provide the department with a comprehensive Probation Case Management System that would be designed and developed with input from the department. The RFI was strictly a mechanism for gathering information and does not constitute a procurement process. Nine vendors responded to the RFI and all vendors provided a presentation. Probation saw a wide variety of options and had demonstrated features that make their product stand out and demonstrated new features. These demonstrations were conducted by Aeon Nexus, Corrections Software, Automon, InfoCom, Capita Technologies, Journal Technologies, Caseload Pro, Connectrex and Tyler Technologies. All vendors were vetted against a list of services both required and desired by the Probation Department’s Case Management System Committee.
Journal Technologies provides case management software solutions to more than 300 entities, including courts, criminal justice agencies and government agencies both nationally and internationally. As our current vendor, they will be able to perform the data conversion from the current system to the new system without outside assistance and at no additional fees. Integration between eDefender and eProsecutor will be available at no additional cost.
Journal Technologies is currently the Probation Department’s contractor for our current CASE system. Because Journal Technologies has already mobilized in Solano County at the Public Defender and District Attorney’s Offices, they will be able to begin work on this project more quickly than any other contractor. Acquiring identical case management systems will allow County Departments such as DA, Public Defender and Probation to work collaboratively if needs arise as staff from both departments will be familiar and trained to use identical systems. Consistent/same systems in these departments may reduce maintenance expense as well.
Delegate authority to County Administrator to authorize grant submissions over $50,000 to secure funding to maintain existing programs and projects
The Probation Department seeks State, Federal, and private grants to support and maintain or restore existing programs and services. In general, grant announcements are issued with short timelines for submission. Delegating authority to approve the submission of grant applications to the County Administrator will allow for maximum flexibility in applying for additional funding to help maintain client services. If the grant is awarded, Probation will return to the Board for appropriation of any additional grant funding received.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors could choose from the following alternatives:
1. Not to approve some or all of the contracts or amendments; however, this alternative is not recommended since non approval by the Board will result in an interruption of vital and/or mandated services provided by the Department; and/or
2. To address some or all of these contracts individually; however, this alternative is not warranted as these services are ongoing and routine in nature and are essentially unchanged from year to year. This alternative would require the Department to present individual board agenda items; and/or
3. Not to authorize the Director of Probation to approve and execute any future contract amendments; however, this alternative is not practical as it would require the Department to request Board approval for routine matters such as minor technical changes. Furthermore, over the last seven years, the Board has granted the Director of Probation authority over these responsibilities.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel has reviewed and approved all contracts and amendments included on this list for legal sufficiency.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION